Mechanism for running underground pipes.



N. 740,521. PATENTED OCT. 6, '1903.

0. E. BROWN.

MEGHNISM FOB. RUNNING UNDERGROUND PIPES. APPLIGATIUN Hum mn. '1. 1903.

v H0 HODEL.

rares Patented October 6, 1903.

Ferarri* einen.

ORVILLE E. BROW'N, OF IiANARI,-ILIJINOIS.

PZCIFICATION-formng part of Letters Patent No. 740,521, dated October 6, 1903.

` maman and MMC-h 7, i903. senin no. 146.617. uit man.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'ORVILLE E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lanark, iu the county of Carroll and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Running Underground'lipes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mechanism for ruiming underground pipes; and its object is to produce a device by which a length of metal pipe may be laid underground without digging the usual trench for that purpose.`

To this and certain minor ends my invention consists in certain novel features of coustruction, which are fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

- In the aforesaid drawings, Figure lis a per spective of my improved device, showing its position in use. Fig. 2 is a section in line 2 2 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrow.' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the pipe used, and Fig. 4.- is a detail vertical longitudinal central section.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a length of pipe to be laid iu the earth. This pipe is passed through a suitable sleeve consisting of two portions B and B, substantially in line with each other and secured iu the opposite ends of a T-coupliug C. The pipe is freely rotatable and longitudinally movable within the sleeves. Upon the portion B of the sleeve is a sprocket D, provided with two U-shaped clamping members d, which are adapted to surround the pipe A, tov be clamped tightly together thereon by bolts d. The sprocket is held in Yplace upon the por-1 tion B' of the sleeve by a washer h and a lock` uut h and is rotatable thereon. It is obvious that the arrangement of the parts so far described is such that the pipe A is rotatable in the sleeve through which it extends; but when the two U-shaped clamping members d are brought together upon it it is non-rotatable with respect to the sprocket D. Therefore rotating the sprocket D will rotate the pipe. In the T-coupling C and extending at right angles to the pipeA is a pipe E, having in its upper end a cross-fitting through which extends at right angles to the pipe E and par allel to the pipe A a shaft F, provided at its end with a crank-handle f. Upon this shaft F is provided a sprocket G, connected to the sprocket D by a cha-in g. A chain-tightener G is provided on the pipe E to take up the slack in the sprocketchain g. The arrangementY of these partsis obviously such that turning the crank f will, through the medium of the sprockets G and D, rotate the pipe A. To that end of the pipe A which'it is intended to insert in the earth an auger H is secured. This auger preferably consists of an ordinary screw-threaded portion 72, a tapered portion h', extending therefrom, and a cap h2 of greater diameter than the pipe A, which cap is screwed on over the end of saidpipe. An antifriction-bearing is provided for the opposite end of the pipe A. A cup I, provided with a ball-race for balls fi, has within it a pin I', provided with a cone il', running` upon the balls t'. The pin is secured in place in the cup I hy a sleeve I2, screwed into the cup' and overhanging theV cenet" on the pin. This antifriction-beariug is made to coperate with the'pipe by thrusting the end of the pipe into the annular space left between the sleeve I2 and the pin I. This brings the end of the pipe A to hear upon the head t', which rotates with the pipe, and the friction caused by the rotation of the pipe is therefore taken up by the balls. A rack J, preferably of wood, is provided, upon which racl; are a plurality of blocltsj, adapted to engage with the end of a lever Ii, provided with depressions 71; of suitable sizeV to receive the cup I. The rack .Iis'

placed upon the ground in such position as not to slip, as shown in Fig. l. I

The operation of the device will now be apparent; WhenV it is desired to lay a horizontal length of pipe, a hole is made iu the Aground to the depth at which the, pipe isto be laid and the rackd is placed in position. A short length of pipe of the right diameter is passed through the sleeve, and the auger is secured to the end which is to enter the IOO floor.

the pipe. As the pipe advances the lever is moved up from block to block on the rack, and when the length of pipe is forced into the earth the antifriction-cup and operating mechanism are slipped off the pipe. A second length is immediately screwed onto the first length by au ordinary sleeve-coupling, such as is shown in Fig. 3. 'Ihe operating mechanism is then slipped upon the second length, the antifriction-cup placed upon the end of said second length, and this in turn forced in, as was the first.

The device is also intended to be used in running service-pipes from the basements or cellars of buildings out to the main pipe, in which case the rackv may be laid upon the The depressions kin the -lever K furnish means of adjustment for the height at which the pipe may be run or the angle of inclination at which the latter may be run.

In operation the device is extremely satisfactory. Apparently what happens is that the auger loosens the earth, which is then tightly packed into a more or less hard tube by the tapered portion. 'The tube thus formed of the packed earth is slightly larger than the pipe and is of approximately the diameter of the sleeves which connect the lengths of pipe together. The result is that after the auger has been forced in there is little or no additional friction for extra lengths of pipe. It is therefore as easy to force sixty or a hundred feet of pipe through the solid earth as it is to force a foot. In ordinary soil it is possible with this device to run pipe at the rate of about two feet a minute for any ordinary distance, and the course of the end of the pipe can be followed from above by tapping on the end of the pipe which is being inserted. The sound will be transmitted and can be heard at a distance of about fifty or sixty feet from the place ot' the entrance of the pipe, so thata small shaft can be dug which will exactly meet the forward end of the pipe.

I realize that considerable variation can be made in the details of this construction, and I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to the specific form herein described.v

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a pipe to be run, of means on one end of the pipe for loosening the earth as the pipe is advanced, a device for subsequently packing the earth to form a tube of larger diameter than the pipe, means for forcing the pipe forward, a sleeve surrounding said pipe, a sprocket rotatable on said sleeve and non-rotatably secured to said pipe, a supporting-arm extending at right angles to said sleeve, a shaft journaled in said supporting-arm, a sprocket upon said shaft, and a sprocket-chain connecting said two sprockets together, whereby the rotation of said shaft will rotate said pipe.

2. The combination with a pipe to be run, of an auger on one end of said pipe, means for forcing said pipe forward, a sleeve surrounding the pipe, a sprocket rotatable on the sleeve, two clamping members secured to the sprocket and mechanism for clamping them upon the pipe, asu pporting-arm secured to said sleeve and extending at right angles therefrom, a shaft journaled transverse to said supporting-arm and parallel to said sleeve, a second sprocket on said shaft, and a chain connecting said sprockets together, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a pipe to be run, an auger on one end of the pipe adapted to loosen the earth and means for rotating the pipe, of a member adapted to bring pressure to bear upon the rear end of said pipe, and an antifriction-cup adapted to be secured to the end ofsaid pipe.

4. The combination with a pipe to be run, an auger on one end of the pipe adapted to loosen the earth, and means for rotating the pipe, of a member adapted to bring pressure to bear upon the rear end of said pipe, a cone adapted to be placed upon the rear end of the pipe, a cup provided with a race for balls adapted to come into contact with said pressure member, and suitable antifriction-balls between said cone and said cup.

5.v The combination with a pipe to be run, an auger on one end of the pipe adapted to loosen the earth and means for rotating the pipe, of a member adapted to bring pressure to hear upon'the rear end of said pipe, a cone provided with a pin adapted vto enter the rear end of said pipe, a cup provided with a ballrace adapted to engage with said pressure member, and suitable balls between said cone and the ball-race of said cup.

6. The combination with a pipe to be run, an auger on one end of the pipe adapted to loosen the earth and means for rotating the pipe, of a member adapted to bring pressure to bear upon the rear end of said pipe, a cone provided with a pin adapted to enter the rear end of said pipe, a cup provided with a suitable ball-race adapted to engage said pressure member, a sleeve of less diameter than said cup adapted to hold said cone in place and a plurality of antifriction-balls between said cone and the ball-race of said cup.

In witness whereof I have signed the above application for Letters Patent, at Lanark, in the county of Carroll and State of Illinois, this 3d day of March, A. D. 1903.

ORVILLE E. BROWN.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN F. BROWN, GEORGE C. TABER. 

